1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to hitch mounted equipment carriers that are configured to be attached to motor vehicles, and, more particularly, the invention is directed toward a swing-away hitch mounted equipment carrier with a pair of pivotally mounted swing arms, a vertical member rotatably connected to one of the swing arms and an equipment carrier mounted on the vertical member. Control members are provided for controlling the pivoting movement of the swing arms and the rotational movement of the equipment carrier as the hitch mounted equipment carrier is moved from a closed position to an opened position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of hitch mounted equipment carriers that are configured to be mounted to motor vehicles by means of trailer hitch receivers are available in the prior art. Examples of hitch mounted equipment carriers that are attachable to trailer hitch receivers are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,664,717; 5,845,832; 5,454,496; 6,123,498; 6,386,410 and 6,644,525.
Typically, pivoting hitch mounted equipment carriers have a rectangular base tube that is received in a trailer hitch receiver which is attached to a passenger vehicle. One end of a fixed arm is attached to the base tube and one end of a swing arm is pivotally connected to a free end of the fixed arm. A vertical upright member is attached to a free end of the swing arm. The vertical upright member is fixed against rotational movement relative to the swing arm. An equipment carrier, for example, a bicycle carrier, is mounted on the top of the vertical upright member. The bicycle carrier, which is configured to carry one or more bicycles, is fixed against rotational movement relative to the vertical upright member. Therefore, there was no way to rotate the bicycles relative to the swing arm. These hitch mounted equipment carriers have a relatively long swing arm in order to provide adequate clearance so that the bicycles mounted thereon do not interfere with the opening of the vehicle's rear door when the hitch mounted equipment carrier is opened. Accordingly, pivoting hitch mounted equipment carriers of this type have been met with varying degrees of success because they are cumbersome to use.
The vertical upright member of the pivoting hitch mounted equipment carriers shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,717 is rotatably mounted to the swing arm and the carrying member is fixed to the vertical upright member. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,498, the vertical upright member is fixed to the swing arm and the carrying member is rotatably mounted to the vertical upright member. In each of these pivoting hitch mounted equipment carriers, the carrying member is free to rotate relative to the swing arm. Accordingly, a user can manually rotate the bicycles through an arc of ninety degrees relative to the back of the vehicle as the user moves the hitch mounted equipment carrier from its closed position to its opened position. Pivoting hitch mounted equipment carriers of this type have been met with varying degrees of success because there is nothing to control the movement of the bicycles through this ninety-degree arc as the hitch mounted equipment carrier is being opened, and the bicycles can swing into the user's vehicle.
Other prior art hitch mountable equipment carriers suffer from the limitation that it is difficult to securely fasten the bicycles to the hitch mounted equipment carrier because of the unwanted movement of the carrying member as the bicycles are placed and secured thereon.
A further disadvantage of prior art hitch mounted equipment carriers is that the center of gravity is not centered at the hitch receiver when the carriers are being installed on vehicles. These carriers have long metal arms that extend to one side, the arms being approximately half the width of the vehicle or greater. Prior art hitch mounted equipment carriers are heavy and weigh about fifty to sixty pounds. It is to be noted that most of this weight is concentrated in the long metal arms. Prior art hitch mounted equipment carriers with a displaced center of gravity and weight of approximately fifty to sixty pounds are cumbersome and difficult to install on vehicles.
A need has arisen for an improved, pivoting hitch mounted equipment carrier that does not suffer from aforementioned limitations and disadvantages.